Spray paint booth filter

Abstract

A reusable filter for use in a spray paint booth is advanced which includes a frame supporting a series of equally spaced horizontal vanes. Each vane is formed to have a shape which reduces clogging of the front face of the filter and forces the air stream to make successive directional changes to thereby effectively remove particulates from the air stream. Three sides of the frame are equipped with a bendable lip that provides a fluid tight seal between the wall and the frame. The fourth side of the frame is formed with access holes enabling paint particulates and liquid cleanser to be quickly removed from between the vanes. The filter is made of a polymeric material which is impervious to solids and can be cleaned by any cleaner normally used to remove paint from a surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A filter for removing particulate from air, said filter comprising: a frame; and   a plurality of veins carried by said frame, each vein of said plurality of veins being spaced apart from other veins of said plurality of veins so as to define a path therebetween for a flow of air, and said each vein being formed to provide restrictions in said path, said restrictions being formed to provide changes in direction of said path, and lateral channels on the outside of said restrictions wherein the width of said path expands laterally at said lateral channels and the velocity of said air flow along said path into said channels is reduced, thereby creating an airflow in said channels that is tangential to said path and on the outside of said restrictions so that, when said airflow approaches said restrictions, said tangential airflow velocity increases and particulate carried by said tangential airflow is deposited into said channels.   
     
     
       2. The filter as recited in claim 1, further comprising means, carried by said plurality of veins, for minimizing the adherence of particulate to said veins when air containing particulate flows through said filter. 
     
     
       3. The filter as recited in claim 2, wherein said minimizing means is an anti-static agent. 
     
     
       4. The filter as recited in claim 3, wherein said anti-static agent is approximately 40 grams of said anti-static agent per 100 pounds of said polymeric material. 
     
     
       5. The filter as recited in claim 2, wherein said minimizing means is monoglyceride. 
     
     
       6. The filter as recited in claim 11, wherein said plurality of veins are made of a material impervious to said particulate. 
     
     
       7. The filter as recited in claim 11, wherein said plurality of veins are made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
       8. The filter as recited in claim 1, further comprising a lip extending from said bottom end of said frame to secure said filter.